1. Field of the Disclosed Embodiments
This disclosure relates to systems and methods for implementing an automated workstation elevation position tracking and control scheme.
2. Related Art
Increasing numbers of workers, including knowledge workers, are involved in jobs that include long periods sitting at office workstations. Modern technology has relegated many tasks to information exchange via the office workstations resulting in many workers being increasingly glued to their desks, not even needing to walk down the hall or across the room to effectively interact with colleagues. The productivity advantages that this modern work paradigm engenders introduce certain difficulties for the individual workers who tend to be much more sedentary in their working environments than in previous generations.
Doctors have become increasingly aware of the harmful health effects on individuals that result from prolonged sitting. Doctors have concluded that prolonged sitting may be extremely harmful to the body, and that in addition to leading to fatal heart disease, other wide ranging (often harmful) physiological effects may include: obesity (often leading to heart problems), poor posture (leading to back problems), eye strain (including itchy, burning, or watery eyes, or the like), poor blood circulation (leading, for example, to blood pooling, which can, in turn, lead to formation of varicose veins), and weakening of muscles (based on non-use of certain large muscle groups during long periods of muscle immobility).
Efforts to combat these negative physiological effects are not difficult to implement when consciously considered and acted upon. For example, the concept of active seating has emerged as a technique by which to address certain of the detrimental physiological effects of prolonged sitting. Active sitting occurs when, for example, a physical configuration of a chair encourages some amount of periodic or routine movement by the occupant. A broadening class of seating products is being made available that, at a minimum, may allow, or even promote, movement by being configured to provide one or more degrees of freedom that may tend to encourage movement by the occupant in a manner that at least modifies the occupant's posture while seated and enhances functional movement, which may mediate some of the ill effects of prolonged static sitting.
While such movements while seated may be beneficial, they may not be enough to effectively counteract at least some of the above-mentioned physiological effects in any meaningful way over time, particularly with regard to blood pooling and the related health effects. A better solution to combat the physiological difficulties caused by prolonged sitting may be to take frequent breaks during which, at a minimum, a seated occupant stands up simply to get the blood flowing to the lower extremities and otherwise throughout the individual's body. Where possible, seated workers should be encouraged to climb stairs or to simply walk around in their workspace at routine intervals for short respite periods. In short, it is generally acknowledged that, in an effort to combat the harmful effects of prolonged sitting at work, individual workers should make it a point to at least stand up at regular intervals and to take a walk when time and opportunity permit.
Research has shown that people who stand at work tend to be healthier than those who sit. Periods of standing throughout the day can improve circulation, muscle tone and vitality combating the health issues discussed above and others. Getting out of one's chair may not only offer psychological benefit, but may lead to increased productivity as well. Standing while working, even and perhaps particularly at a computer workstation, may aid in improving concentration by increasing blood flow to the brain. Individuals routinely report that standing seems to improve their clarity of thinking and their ability to focus. See, e.g., articles on this topic in the New York Times dated Apr. 21 and 23, 2010. An article published by Readers Digest entitled “Stand and Deliver: The Benefits of Standing at Your Desk” noted the ill effects of what has been dubbed the “Sitting Disease.” The article catalogued these ill effects and promoted the use of standing desks as a measure by which to counter certain of these effects.
This is not to say that standing for an entire workday will not carry with it other difficulties. A balance should be struck between working while seated and standing regularly.